The activities of this committee center around voter registration, education and mobilization. In the last few election we have registered approximately 1000 voters and held candidate forums at all levels so that citizens could discuss candidates and their positions. This committee also facilitates poll watching and monitors election related legislation. Recent voter education dealt with such topics as voter disenfranchisement, re-enfranchisement of ex-fellons and, the re-authorization of the Voting Rights Act.

This committee advocates directly for parents and students to facilitate improvements in the academic achievement of African American students. It parents and works to improve communication and involvement between African American parents and the school district. Key initiatives resulting from the work of this committee include getting the St. Paul school district to disaggregate test scores and to establish a racial harassment policy and staff position. During the 2005 program year we initiated the St. Paul NAACP Help a Child Read Program. Twenty-Six volunteers completed training and were placed at Webster Elementary School. This program is in it's second year. The Summit University Education Consortium, started by the St. Paul NAACP, has been serving the community for more than twenty years. This program provides after school tutorials, college prep classes and a six week summer enrichment program.

Over the past several years the Labor and Industry Committee has aided the community in several areas of discrimination. Not only in employment and housing but also in unfair treatment of retail customers. The committee has been contacted by groups of employees complaining of employment discrimination. We were able to attend meetings with management and staff to deter¬mine the over all problem. After these meetings, we were able to successfully implement the removal of those in management failing to recognize the discriminatory practices of the company. The committee receives numerous letters and telephone calls about police harassment, unfair hiring practices, and hostile work environments and over all racial discrimination. Each call and letter is handled in a professional manner. We have handled mediation on various instances. When there is need for an attorney, we have a list of attorneys available for each client. When necessary we go to court with the complainant. The only pay we ask of each complainant is to become a card carrying member of the St. Paul Branch NAACP.

This Committee assists African American inmates who seek our assistance with cases of discrimination after incarceration in Minnesota jails and prisons. Since 1999 we have received approximately 1,742 complaints, the vast majority of these complaints where resolved satisfactory. We have been able to develop a very constructive working relationship with the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Members of this committee have visited all major adult correctional facilities and one juvenile facility in Minnesota. During these visits we have received over 1000 complaints from inmates regarding discrimination, work assignments, medical needs, religious restrictions and uneven sanctions. We have assisted families with wrongful death lawsuits. Due to the terms of settlement of these lawsuits, some polices where changed and a task force was developed to make additional changes.

Our branch is very proud of the federally mediated police community relations agreement. This agreement was one of the first of its kind and dealt with a broad range of issues and concerns including racial profiling. This committee is responsible for the creation and dissemination of the You and the Police "Know Your Rights" cards. We fled numerous complaints with the US justice department around the issue of police misconduct which in some cases resulted in the death of African American citizens. This committee successfully petitioned the St. Paul School District to restrict the use of taser guns in the school system. This led to the establishment of police procedures for the use of taser guns.